Gonzalo Iturriaga de Juan, technical director of Tempos Vega Sicilia, says the winery—founded in 1864 and home to Vega Sicilia, Alion, Macán, Pintia and Oremus—prioritizes land and time over individual flair. Trained in agricultural engineering and winemaking, he oversees long-term decisions where harvests and aging are judged by decades. The Macán project in Rioja took nearly 20 years to express the region’s character, showing their approach of adapting practices (harvest timing, oak use, aging vessels) to each terroir. Vega Sicilia’s flagship Unico, made from tempranillo (a Spanish grape), is described as especially receptive to time, evolving in structure and texture over long aging. Facing climate change, the group is reducing oak influence (using concrete and large foudres) and making minor blending adjustments (small amounts of cabernet sauvignon, garnacha, graciano) to preserve the winery’s identity over time. Iturriaga sums it up: they change everything so Vega Sicilia remains unchanged by time.
